Sometimes what people need is a little moderation, a little peace and a little introspection. In this time where things go awry, people grow short tempered, and nothing seems to go right, it helps to take a step back and refocus.
As a little offering to those interested in reading something calming for once, here's a link to
Lao Tsu's Tao Te Ching Online.
And since we're on the topic of re-centering oneself, here's a quote from Chapter 16 of the Tao Te Ching:
Empty yourself of everything.
Let the mind rest at peace.
The ten thousand things rise and fall while the Self watches their return.
They grow and flourish and then return to the source.
Returning to the source is stillness, which is the way of nature.
The way of nature is unchanging.
Knowing constancy is insight.
Not knowing constancy leads to disaster.
Knowing constancy, the mind is open.
With an open mind, you will be openhearted.
Being openhearted, you will act royally.
Being royal, you will attain the divine.
Being divine, you will be at one with the Tao.
Being at one with the Tao is eternal.
And though the body dies, the Tao will never pass away.
Monday, July 11, 2005
Friday, July 08, 2005
Photoblogging, sorta...
Just giving a few pictures from the camera phone out into the wild for a spin. A couple of these are funny things that I've run into here in the Philippines.
My first pic is a friendly warning over in the Tiangge of Greenbelt 1:
Germs! Germs are Everywhere! Can't you see?!
Well, maybe not, but there are no shops in Greenbelt 1 called Germs, and a quick interview with the security guard merited nothing. Perhaps I should contact the Department of Health.
Either that or it's a ploy by the Healthway Medical Clinic, whose sign is placed so conveniently underneath the offending sign.
---
Next up is a silent cry for the state of the Philippine economy.
A single yellow sign. Standing by itself in the middle of a crowded mall, begging for attention. Apparently our Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) really needs help.
For non Tagalog speakers, "tulungan" means "to assist, to aid, to help". The sign pretty much screams, "HELP the BIR!"
---
As if that wasn't enough, here's a book that Alex and I stumbled onto in one of the higher class bookstores:
(Alex is here, showing the best expression possible upon the discovery of this book)
Apparently the pornography market is getting really crowded nowdays. Hence, we have to start finding niches, just like what these lesiban horse lovers are doing!
---
Finally we have a close shot at a mutant:
What is wrong with that lobster. At first, it seems pretty normal, until you realize that the lobster has it's face on it's back and the face is upside down too... scary.
---
Anyway, that's all I've got from my camera phone at the moment. Once I get a bluetooth enabled data transfer thingy for my home PC, expect to see a lot more pictures here really soon.
My first pic is a friendly warning over in the Tiangge of Greenbelt 1:
Germs! Germs are Everywhere! Can't you see?!
Well, maybe not, but there are no shops in Greenbelt 1 called Germs, and a quick interview with the security guard merited nothing. Perhaps I should contact the Department of Health.
Either that or it's a ploy by the Healthway Medical Clinic, whose sign is placed so conveniently underneath the offending sign.
---
Next up is a silent cry for the state of the Philippine economy.
A single yellow sign. Standing by itself in the middle of a crowded mall, begging for attention. Apparently our Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) really needs help.
For non Tagalog speakers, "tulungan" means "to assist, to aid, to help". The sign pretty much screams, "HELP the BIR!"
---
As if that wasn't enough, here's a book that Alex and I stumbled onto in one of the higher class bookstores:
(Alex is here, showing the best expression possible upon the discovery of this book)
Apparently the pornography market is getting really crowded nowdays. Hence, we have to start finding niches, just like what these lesiban horse lovers are doing!
---
Finally we have a close shot at a mutant:
What is wrong with that lobster. At first, it seems pretty normal, until you realize that the lobster has it's face on it's back and the face is upside down too... scary.
---
Anyway, that's all I've got from my camera phone at the moment. Once I get a bluetooth enabled data transfer thingy for my home PC, expect to see a lot more pictures here really soon.
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
RPG nightmares
One of the strangest things that can happen to a GM in pen and paper rpgs is to end up with a group of players which are either a) stupid or b) scary. To demonstrate take a peek at this strip from VG Cats.
In a humor oriented game, I wouldn't mind having a character using a Rat Flail as a weapon for his character, but sometimes, it just goes too far.
----
Speaking of strangeness in RPGs, I've noticed that my saturday afternoon gaming group tends to come up with strange character concepts. I'm usually okay with character concepts that stray from the norm, but it tends to bother me once people start making really, really, whacked out character concepts.
Take the Legend of the Five Rings RPG for example. My evening group is fine, we've got a good mix of characters that each have a goal and a great group dynamic going on. I'm cool with that.
My afternoon group on the other hand... has weirdness.
One character that boggles my mind is one Scorpion samurai girl who is supposed to be Extremely attractive (character illustration not hers, but rather to stress the point of what scorpions are) but after which is made to be the samurai equivalent of Forrest Gump on crack.
Oh well. That's the way it is in RPGs. Us GMs just have to roll with the punches, and make sure that everyone has a good time. :)
In a humor oriented game, I wouldn't mind having a character using a Rat Flail as a weapon for his character, but sometimes, it just goes too far.
----
Speaking of strangeness in RPGs, I've noticed that my saturday afternoon gaming group tends to come up with strange character concepts. I'm usually okay with character concepts that stray from the norm, but it tends to bother me once people start making really, really, whacked out character concepts.
Take the Legend of the Five Rings RPG for example. My evening group is fine, we've got a good mix of characters that each have a goal and a great group dynamic going on. I'm cool with that.
My afternoon group on the other hand... has weirdness.
One character that boggles my mind is one Scorpion samurai girl who is supposed to be Extremely attractive (character illustration not hers, but rather to stress the point of what scorpions are) but after which is made to be the samurai equivalent of Forrest Gump on crack.
Oh well. That's the way it is in RPGs. Us GMs just have to roll with the punches, and make sure that everyone has a good time. :)
Lonely Morning Haze 4
"Go to hell."
I stood there, stunned at the words. They were feeble ones, admittedly, the sudden outburst of one unaccustomed to swearing. Her voice wavered slightly, her conviction shaky and unsure.
And yet, there I was looking completely, utterly shocked.
Her face, still stuck in a scowl that betrayed no small amount of hate, shifted to uncertainty, and then pain. A tear rolled down her cheek as she held the books to her chest, as she bumped past me.
I watched her run, her movements awkward as she broke into a run...
---
"Mark."
Mark looked up from the computer screen at the cafe, "Hmm?"
Anna stood beside him, bag slung over his shoulder, "Let's get out of here, Mark. It's seven already."
Mark blinked, adjusting his eyes from the glow of the monitor to the darkness of the internet cafe. "Alright, just let me save this."
Anna watched over his shoulder smiling, "Still working on that story, huh?"
"Yeah."
"What's inspiring you to do that?"
"Nothing really." Nothing that I can tell you... yet. Mark opened up a browser, posting it up on his website.
"Did you ever think that you could go pro?"
Mark uploaded the file and closed the browser, standing up to head to the counter. "What do you mean?"
"I meant writing for money. Like a real author." Anna pushed her glasses up her nose, "I mean, you seem to have a real knack for it."
Mark shrugged, "Thanks, but I've never really had the ability to really finish anything. I never have what it takes to follow through."
Anna frowned, "That's no good, it's a waste of your talent!"
Mark chuckled as they stepped outside, and began to walk, taking the shortcut through the park. It was a rather wet evening, where the sky was brighter than it should be, the clouds a dull purple haze, the raindrops dancing in the streetlights.
Mark fished into his bag and took out an umbrella, opening it. "Talent..." he mused, as Anna walked beside him, "There's no money in writing." he explained, "Even if I had the talent, there's nowhere for it to go."
Anna frowned, "That's not true! Look at all the people who write novels! There's got to be something there."
"Maybe there is, maybe there isn't," What is she trying to do? Mark shrugged, "In either case, I don't think I'll be a great writer. I'll just be a regular joe schmoe, stuck in a pencil pusher's job, watching the clock and chatting with co-workers by the water dispenser." he smiled at her.
Anna raised an eyebrow, "Wow... that's some ambition you've got there. I can think of like... zero people who consider that the ideal lifestyle."
"You haven't spoken to enough office workers who are too engrossed with keeping their jobs and paying their bills."
"And you have?" Anna huffed, "Come on, you and I both know that's a load of bull." she stuck her tongue out at him.
"Maybe it is." Mark said, "But the point is, writing isn't a stable job, besides, it's underappreciated, underpaid, emotionally draining and requires a measure of commitment reserved for the desperate, the delusional or the religious."
"Then all you need to do is to write about something you like." she said, "Sounds easy enough."
"Easy?" Mark laughed, "It only looks easy."
"Are you saying I can't do it?" Anna had a dangerous tone in her voice.
"Well... no." Mark said, "I'm just saying that writing is harder than it looks."
"I challenge you." she said, pointing at him, her index finger poking the tip of his nose.
"Whuh?"
"We'll both write something, but it has to be a novel." Anna explained, "You write about something that you like, and I'll do the same. And we have to be done with it by the end of the semester."
Mark grinned, "Hah! Challenge me, will you? I know I can do it... but can you?"
Anna winked, "Never underestimate the power of a motivated woman."
---
More slice of life stories. This one isn't something I can say I'm really proud of, but ah well. Might as well put it up anyway. As usual, I'm open to any comments or suggestions on what to do next with this story.
I stood there, stunned at the words. They were feeble ones, admittedly, the sudden outburst of one unaccustomed to swearing. Her voice wavered slightly, her conviction shaky and unsure.
And yet, there I was looking completely, utterly shocked.
Her face, still stuck in a scowl that betrayed no small amount of hate, shifted to uncertainty, and then pain. A tear rolled down her cheek as she held the books to her chest, as she bumped past me.
I watched her run, her movements awkward as she broke into a run...
---
"Mark."
Mark looked up from the computer screen at the cafe, "Hmm?"
Anna stood beside him, bag slung over his shoulder, "Let's get out of here, Mark. It's seven already."
Mark blinked, adjusting his eyes from the glow of the monitor to the darkness of the internet cafe. "Alright, just let me save this."
Anna watched over his shoulder smiling, "Still working on that story, huh?"
"Yeah."
"What's inspiring you to do that?"
"Nothing really." Nothing that I can tell you... yet. Mark opened up a browser, posting it up on his website.
"Did you ever think that you could go pro?"
Mark uploaded the file and closed the browser, standing up to head to the counter. "What do you mean?"
"I meant writing for money. Like a real author." Anna pushed her glasses up her nose, "I mean, you seem to have a real knack for it."
Mark shrugged, "Thanks, but I've never really had the ability to really finish anything. I never have what it takes to follow through."
Anna frowned, "That's no good, it's a waste of your talent!"
Mark chuckled as they stepped outside, and began to walk, taking the shortcut through the park. It was a rather wet evening, where the sky was brighter than it should be, the clouds a dull purple haze, the raindrops dancing in the streetlights.
Mark fished into his bag and took out an umbrella, opening it. "Talent..." he mused, as Anna walked beside him, "There's no money in writing." he explained, "Even if I had the talent, there's nowhere for it to go."
Anna frowned, "That's not true! Look at all the people who write novels! There's got to be something there."
"Maybe there is, maybe there isn't," What is she trying to do? Mark shrugged, "In either case, I don't think I'll be a great writer. I'll just be a regular joe schmoe, stuck in a pencil pusher's job, watching the clock and chatting with co-workers by the water dispenser." he smiled at her.
Anna raised an eyebrow, "Wow... that's some ambition you've got there. I can think of like... zero people who consider that the ideal lifestyle."
"You haven't spoken to enough office workers who are too engrossed with keeping their jobs and paying their bills."
"And you have?" Anna huffed, "Come on, you and I both know that's a load of bull." she stuck her tongue out at him.
"Maybe it is." Mark said, "But the point is, writing isn't a stable job, besides, it's underappreciated, underpaid, emotionally draining and requires a measure of commitment reserved for the desperate, the delusional or the religious."
"Then all you need to do is to write about something you like." she said, "Sounds easy enough."
"Easy?" Mark laughed, "It only looks easy."
"Are you saying I can't do it?" Anna had a dangerous tone in her voice.
"Well... no." Mark said, "I'm just saying that writing is harder than it looks."
"I challenge you." she said, pointing at him, her index finger poking the tip of his nose.
"Whuh?"
"We'll both write something, but it has to be a novel." Anna explained, "You write about something that you like, and I'll do the same. And we have to be done with it by the end of the semester."
Mark grinned, "Hah! Challenge me, will you? I know I can do it... but can you?"
Anna winked, "Never underestimate the power of a motivated woman."
---
More slice of life stories. This one isn't something I can say I'm really proud of, but ah well. Might as well put it up anyway. As usual, I'm open to any comments or suggestions on what to do next with this story.
Friday, July 01, 2005
Frustrated Artist.
I could never really draw. I've practiced at times, only to grow frustrated at my efforts, seeing how little I've improved. Surfing around, I've found the perfect picture of how difficult it is for me to follow instructions on "how to draw..." books, or my frustration after listening to friends who draw very well:
(source: Liberty Meadows, courtesy of Frank Cho)
Dammit. :p
(source: Liberty Meadows, courtesy of Frank Cho)
Dammit. :p
Simple games for busy bodies
For those who are holding down a job, and have barely enough time to take a break, I introduce: jay is - jay bibby's rants and raves of flash games and gameplay, a website that I've stumbled upon that provides maximum entertainment for a minimum of time.
I think its time videogame designers remembered why games are games again, instead of obsessing over system specs and "story" that reads like crap. I like story, but I like my game storylines without crappiness.
I think its time videogame designers remembered why games are games again, instead of obsessing over system specs and "story" that reads like crap. I like story, but I like my game storylines without crappiness.
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